<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
The Surah takes its name from the word <em>al-`asr</em> occurring in the first
verse.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
Although Mujahid, Qatadah and Muqatil regard it as a Madani Surah, yet
a great majority of the commentators opine that it is Makki; its
subject matter also testifies that it must have been sent down in the
earliest stage at Makkah, when the message of Islam was being
presented in brief but highly impressive sentences so that the
listeners who heard them once could not forget them even if they
wanted to, for they were automatically committed to memory.
</p>
<h2>Theme and Subject Matter</h2>
<p>
This Surah is a matchless specimen of comprehensiveness and brevity. A
whole world of meaning has been compressed into its few brief words,
which is too vast in content to be fully expressed even in a book. In
it, in a clear and plain way it has been stated what is the way to
true success for man and what is the way to ruin and destruction for
him. Imam Shafe has very rightly said that if the people only
considered this Surah well, it alone would suffice them for their
guidance. How important this Surah was in the sight of the Companions
can be judged from the tradition cited from Hadrat Abdullah bin Hisn
ad-Darimi Abu Madinah, according to which whenever any two of them met
they would not part company until they had recited Surah Al-Asr to each
other. (Tabarani)
</p>

